riker



16,711 Aug. 23, 1927. A L. RIKER Re CONSTANT COMPRESSION INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed April 8; 1921 2 Shets-S'net 1 Andrea/L.Ri/ccr aft-M1101 Original Filed April 8 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 mucwfoz AndrewL. Hiker Reis sued Aug. 23, 1927-.

4 UNITED STATES Re; 16,711 PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW L. BIKER, FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT.

CONSTANT-(FOMPRIISSION INTERNAL-COMBUSTiON ENGmE. 7

Original No. 1,533,847, dated April 14, 1925, Serial No. 459,807, filedApril 8, 1921.

reissne filed October 18,

This invention relates to variable-speed and variableload internalcombustion engines, such, for example, as used on automotive vehicles.When automotive vehicles in general use today are. throttled. down, the

.suction stroke of the piston draws in less fuel-gas than when runningwith wide open throttle. This results in a lowered initial pressurewithin the cylinder at the beginning W of the compression stroke and a.consequent loss of efliciency and power.

The present invention has for its main object to provide an internalcombustion engine wherein the pressure within a cylinder thereof at thebeginning of the compression stroke of a piston in said cylinder can beconstant while the amount of the intake of gaseous fuel to said cylinderis varied and definitely controlled at will.

A more specific object is toproduce an internal combustion engine havingmeans for supplying a cylinder of said engine with gaseous fuel and, forcontrollably varying the amount of gaseous fuel supplied to correspondwith a working condition prevailing at a particular time in the engine;havi ngseparate means for freely supplying said cylinder with air underall working conditions in the engine; and including an inten-elationofsaid air supplying means and said gaseous fuel supplying means whichcontemplates the direct control of the feed of gaseous fuel to saidcylinder and the free passage of air (which may be atmospheric air)thereto, in order that there will be suflicientair capable of passing tothe cylinder during any suction stroke of the piston thereof to insure acontent pressure in said cylinder at the beginning of each compressionstroke no matter what may be the working condition prevailing in thecylinder. A further specific object is to produce an engine as stated,wherein the amount of gaseous fuel supplied to the cylinder will befixed for a fixed working condition of the engine, and will vary fordifferent working condition in direct ratio to thepower gen erated; thatis, the present object contemplates the supply of gaseous fuel to acylinder in direct ra'tio to'the power generated and in inverse ratio tothe supply of air.

A further specific object is to produce an internal combustion enginehaving means capable of supplying a surplus of air to a cylinder undervarying workinn conditions Application for 1;!25. Serial No; 62,327.

therein; separate means for su plying gaseous fuel to said cylinder andor-controllably varying the supply of gaseous fuel to reduce at will theamount of intake of gaseous fuel to correspond with a lighter engineload; and including an interrelation between said means whereby duringany suction stroke of a piston in said cylinder there will be capable ofbeing present a sufiicient amount, of air to provide, together withgaseous fuel admitted, a constant pressure in said cylinder under allworking conditions of the engine, whether running at full capacity or atless than full capacity.

A further specific object is to provide an internal combustion enginehaving an air inlet valve adapted to be maintained at fixed capacity,which capacity is capable of supplying a cylinder with a full charge ofair during any suction stroke of a piston in said cylinder; and alsohaving a gaseous fuel inlet valve and means for timing said gaseous fuelinlet valve relative to said air inlet valve, whereby the operation ofsaid valves can be simultaneous, as when the engine is working at fullcapacity, or the operation of said gaseous fuel inlet valve can beretarded relatively to the operation of said air inlet valve, as whenthe engine is working at less than full capacity. A further object is toprovide in the engine an arrangement for segregating an explosivemixture-in a cylinder in such manner that there can be (at thecommencement of the work strokev of a piston in said cylinder) ignitionof said explosive mixture adapted to produce proper flame propagation insaid cylinder no matter what may be the working condition prevailing inthe cylinder, More specifically, the present object of the inventioncontemplates the usual compression-end and a space or pocketcommunicating with said compression-end, but in effect segregatedtherefrom; a valve controlled air inlet into said compression-end and avalve controlled exhaust outlet from said compression-end; a separatevalve controlled inlet for admitting gaseous fuel into" said space orpocket; and means for timing the opening of the gaseous fuel inlet valverelative to the opening ofthe air inlet valve to vary the fuel inlet atwill; all designed to provide in a cylinder, for any explosion therein,independently of the working condition at a particular time prevailingin an engine having said cylinder, an explosive mixture which will beconfined to a segregated area in said cylinder and will be soproportioned as to produce in said cylinder for each explosion therein,proper flame propagation; that is, the flame propagation desired for aparticular working condition insaid cylinder. As will hereinafter fullyappear, the present engine operates after the general fashion of anordinary engine of commerce under full capacity condition, therebeingprovision for opening the gaseous fuel valve simultaneously with theopening of the air valve when full engine capacity is reached, wherebythe gaseous fuel and air (which may be atmospheric air) are drawn insimultaneously to be commingled and compressed together. When the engineis working at its lowest capacity,

practically all of the gaseous fuel will be confined to the space orpocket which communicates with the compression-end of the cylinder, andthe remainder of the charge will be pure air. When the engine is workingat capacities between its full and lowest capacity, the gaseous fuelwill be confined to the space or pocket to a certain extent and will mixwith the air in the compressionend to a certain extent, the confinementof the gaseous fuel to the spaceor pocket increasing in degree as lowengine capacity is approached, and the'mixing of the gaseous fuel withthe air increasing indegree as full engine capacity is approached. Inall instances, however, whether the engine is working at full capacity,at lowest capacity, or at any capacity between its full capacity and itslowest capacity, the arrangement will be such that there will be anexplosive mixture confined to a segregated area in the linder (adjacentan ignition means), and

c the improved engine is so, designed that this segregated explosivemixture will be proportioned, under all working conditions in theengine, to produce proper flame propagation in the cylinder for eachexplosion therein.

The invention further comprises the various features hereinafter setforth and claimed, and will be best understood by reference to theannexed drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment ofanewapparatus for carrying out the principles of the invention. But it isto be understood that the present disclosure is merely illustrative andnot intended to be in any limiting sense. .In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a verticalsection through a con venient form of four-cycleinternal combustion engine containing a preferred embodimentof thepresent invention, showing the moving parts in their position at the endof the exhaust stroke;'

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the ]ine II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial horizontal section of a modification Fig. 4 is asideview, as seen from the left of Fig. 1, of a detail of the structure foractuating the timing-feature of the fuel intake; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged front View of the cam for actuating the fuel-inletvalve.

' In the drawings, 1 represents-one of the Vertical cylinders of theengine, containing the piston 2 with its piston rod 3 properly connectedto the crank 4 of the crank shaft The cylinder may be enclosed by theusual or any preferred form of water jacket. 6 is a pipeconstituting'the inlet for atmospheric air, and 7 a pipe constitutingthe exhaust, communicating with the valve-controlled cylinder-end orcompression-chamber 8 at the top of the cylinder. 9 is the valve forcontrolling access of air into said cylinderend or compression-chamber.This valve is shown as provided with a valve stem lOpassing through asuitable bearing in the engine frame, and extending through thecam-shaft casing 11 into operative relation with its valve actuating cam12 on a suitable shaft 13, which latter is rotated by any suitableconnections from the crank shaft 5. As shown, said valve stem carries acollar 14 against which bears one end of a coil spring 15 that encirclessaid stem, while the other end of said spring bears against the frame,whereby the spring maintains said valve 9 normally in closed position.9' (see Fig. 2) is a similar valve for controlling the exhaust-outletthrough pipe 7. This valve is mounted like valve 9, and is similarlyspring-pressed and cam-actuated. 16 represents the usual or anypreferred form of carburetor whence a passage 17, preferably having athrottlevalve 18, leads through a suitable opening in the engine-frameinto the segregated ignition space, chamber, or pocket 19, which islocatedin the upper end of the engine-frame in communication with thecompression chamber. 20 is a valve controlling the entrance of the fuelinto said combustionchamber; and said valve 20 is mounted and actuatedin the manner disclosed for said valve9, by its own valve-cam 21 of aform to be described) mounted on a sha t 22 which is rotated in any.convenient manner from the crank-shaft 5. Access to said valves 9, 9"and 20 is attained by plugs as 23 and 24, whereof plug 24 is threaded toreceive a spark-plug 29 ofthe usual or any preferred type. Preferably,the parts are so proportioned that when the piston 2 is at the top ofits stroke'there will remain very slight yet sufiicient communicationbetween the compression-chamber 8 and the combustion space, chamber, orpocket 19. When the piston islowered, however, the communication betweenthe chamber 8 and the space, chamfrom Fig. 2) but, if preferred,communication may be restricted, as shown by Fig. 3, by a partitionhaving a port 26.

The cam 12 for openlng the air valve 9 and the cam for opening theexhaust valve 9' may be of the usual or .any preferred form. But the cam21 for opening the fuel valve 20 is, as indicated by Figs. 4 and 5, of apeculiar form, which might best be described as of a staggered andsomewhat conical (or ovoid) shape; that is, said cam is elongated, andat its smaller end the bulge or cam projection is of the minimum heightand circumferential extent, which bulge in' creases in circumferentialextent and in height towards the maximum at the larger,

end. The cam-shaft 22, which carries said staggered-ovoid cam 21, isitself longitudinally movable, as indicated in Fig. 4, to bring amore-extended or less-extended por- 'tion of the cam (as desired) intooperative relation with the piston-rod of said valve 20.

- 4), the cam action will be retarded, and the valve 20 lifted at alater stage and to a less extent. Manipulation of the shaft 22 as by theaccelerator times the admission of fuel to the combustion-chamber.

The operation. of the engine will be obvious.- Upon the intake orsuction stroke of the piston, the exhaust valve 9 being held down, theair valve 9 is opened by its cam 12 (against the spring 15) and cold airalone is drawn into the compression-end or chamber 8 of the cylinder,the combustion space, chamher, or pocket. being in free communicationwith the cylinder; the valve 20 will be opened by its cam 21, eithersimultaneously with the opening of the valve 9 or at a later stage ofthe same suction stroke, according to the position into which the shaft22 has been shift ed, and when said valve 20 is opened, the gaseous fuelfrom the carburetor will be drawn into the combustion space, chamber, orpocket. When the fuel intake is retarded, as well as when the valves 20and 9 are opened simultaneously, some of the air from the chamber 8willenter and remain in the space, chamber, or pocket 19. When theengine is working at its lowest capacity (gas- -eous fuel intakeretarded the maximum amount) practically all of the gaseous fuel will beconfined to the space or pocket 19, and the remainder of the charge willbe pure By drawing said and compressed together to provide apractically' homogeneousmixture throughout the chamber 8 and the space,chamber, or pocket 19, and the engine will operate after the generalfashion of an ordinary engine of commerce. When the engine is working atcapacities between its full and lowest capacity (gaseous fuel intakeretarded less than the maximum amount), the gaseous fuel will beconfined to the space or pocket 19 to a certain extent, and-will mixwith the air in the compression end to a certain extent, the confinementof the gaseous fuel to the space or pocket increasing in degree as lowengine capacity is approached, and the mixing of the gaseous fuel withthe air increasing in degree as full engine capacity is approached. Thearrangement is such that, under all Working conditions ina cylinder,there Will be an explosive mixture confined to a segregated area in thecylinder (adjacent the ignition means 29). The engine design is suchthat this segregated explosive mixture will be proportioned, under allworking conditions in the engine, to produce proper flame propagation ina cylinder for each explosion therein.

Upon the compression stroke, the exhaust Valve 9 remaining closed. thecam 12 having already passed by the valve-rod and valve 9 been closed byits spring 15, and the valve 20 being likewise closed by its spring, thecontents of thecylinder will be compressed withinthe chamber 8, and 'thecontents of the space, chamber, or pocket 19 will likewise be compressedby the pressure imparted by the fluid (air or air mixed with gaseousfuel) compressed in said chamber 8. The fuel mixture within the space,chamber, or pocket 19 will be ignited in the usual manner by means ofthe spark plug 29,

at a less or greater internal beforethe' piston has attained the end 'ofits up-stroke upon said ignition, the resultant combustion of thefuel-mixture within the space, cham-- her, or pocket 19 will produceboth heat and expansive action, which later will ven't itself intochamber 8, while the attendant heat Wlll be imparted along with it (andalso throu h the adjacent walls of the structure) to t e body of thecompressed fluid within chamher 8;- and these two added factors willexpand the contents of chamber Sand cause the piston to descend in itspower stroke. Clearly, when the engine is working at its.lowest-capacity and practically all of the gaseous fuel is confined tothe space, chamher, or pocket 19, the venting from the space, chamber,-or pocket to the chamber 8 Wlll impart'heat and expansive action topractically pure air in said chamber 8; when the engine is working atfull capacity, the venting will imp art heat and expansive action to .amixture in said chamber 8 which 13 practically of the quality of theexplosive mixture in the space, chamber, or pocket 19 that produced theexplosion, and there will be a burning through the whole area of the compression-end and the space, chamber, or pocket; and when the engine isworking at less than full capacity and greater than lowest capacity, theventing will be to a mixture in said chamber 8 consisting of airimpregnated with gaseous fuel to an exte'nt depending upon the capacityat which the engine is working. That is, as the engine capacityapproaches full capacity, the gaseous fuel in the cha1nber8 increasesin' degree, and as the engine capacity approaches lowest capacity, thegaseous fuel in said chamber 8 decreased in degree. At any event, duemainly to the enormous amount of heat imparted to the chamber 8 from thespace, chamber, or pocket 19, there will be, during each work stroke ofthe piston; a complete and clean burning of all of the gaseous fuel inthe chamber 8, with the attendant advantageous heat and expansive actiondesired. It will be evident, that when the gaseous fuel valve and theair valve are simultaneously opened, there will be simultaneousadmission of gaseous fuel and air to the cylinder, and, consequently, athorough intermingling of said gaseous fuel and air. But, the instantthe gaseous fuel valve is retarded, the main turbulence in the cylinderwill be confined to the portion of air which isfirst to enter thecylinder. The

i gaseous fuel is subjected to turbulence to a smaller and smallerdegree as itsadmission is retarded. So that, under all conditions exceptwhen the engine is working at full capacity, there will be smalltendency in a cylinder to cause gaseous fuel entering via the space,chamber, or pocket 19 to become commingled with the air in the chamber8.

-', That is to say, the general tendency in the engine will be for thegaseous fuel which finds its, way from the space 19 to the chamher 8 tobecome mixed with only portions of the air in said chamber 8 adjacentthe space 19, (it being remembered that the time elapsing between thesuction stroke and thepower stroke is quiteshort), with the result thatthe chamber 8 will, in effect, contain for each explosion in thecylinder a portion of practically pure air, and a portion of airsaturated with gaseous fuel, which latter-portion will be contiguouswith the space 19 and will be an amount increasing in direct relation tothe engine capacitythus producing additional heat and expansive actionin direct ratio to the power to be generated.

Following the power stroke, the exhaust valve 9 is lifted by its cam topermit the exhaust stroke of'the piston.

It will be observed that not only does 57' present invention economizein fuel, but in addition it reduces carbon-deposit, by reason in thefirst instance of the intense heat generated within the ignition space,chamber, or pocket, and in the second instance b reason of thescavenging by the excess 0 .atmospheric air. within the main compressionchamber and cylinder.

Owing to the free intake of air through the relatively large valve 9,there will be capable of being present a sufiicient amount of air toprovide, together with the gaseous fuel admitted, a constant pressure insaid cylinder under all working conditions of the engine, whetherrunning at full capacity or at less than full capacity;

The gaseous fuel to be utilized in the present engine is desirably quiterich, probably too rich to alone provide an explosive mixture. It is thecommingling of the gaseous fuel with air in the space 19 which providesan explosive mixture. The air inlet valve of .fixed capacity and thegaseous fuel valve of adjustable capacity not only insures a constantpressure in a cylinder for any working condition in an engine, but alsoinsures that (gaseous fuel valve of fixed capacity and air inlet valveof adjustable capacity), this could not be so. In such a case, theengine would have to run at fullcapacity with air inlet valve supplyinglittle or no air, and at minimum capacity with air inlet valve supplyinga maximum amount of air. Consequently, the gaseous fuel-would have toprovide an explosive mixture when commingled with little or no air (aswhen engine working at full capacity), as well as when commingled with amaximum amount of air (as when engine working at minimum capacity). Sucha result could hardly be obtained, and the reversed arrangement wouldprobably not function under the varying working conditions of anautomotive vehicle engine. When the engine of the invention is workingat full capacity, there is present in a cylinder a large quantity of airto commingle with a charge of gaseous fuel and to provide with said fuelan explosive mixture. As a consequencdthe gaseous fuel utilized can bevery rich, and as the fuel feed decreases (engine working at less thanfull capacity), the thinning out of the gaseous fuel (the making lean ofthe explosive mixture), occurs very gradually, especially in an enginedesigned after the fashion hereinbefore fully set forth and having acombustion space, chamber, or pocket the equivalent of the space 19.That is to say, while an arrangement of air inlet valve and gasevalvecontrolle will function to make an internal combustion engine capable ofmeeting all of the conditions imposed upon it in automotive vehicle use,an engine with a reversed arrangement of air inlet valve and gaseousfuel inlet valve could notfunction to -meet all of said conditions. v

r The invention having been thus fully described, what is claimed is: l

1. An internal combustion engine, comprising a cylinder affording acompression end and provided with a valve controlled exhaust outlet, apiston reciprocata-ble within said cylinder, an air inlet valve leadingto said compression end and adapted to be maintained at fixed capacity,which capacity is adapted to freely supply said cylinder with asufficient char e of air for any plosion therein regar essflof thecapacity at which the engine is working, a gaseous fuel inlet valveleading to said cylinder, and means for timing said gaseous fuel inletvalve relative to said air inlet valve whereby the operation of saidvalves can preferably be simultaneous when the engine is,

working at full capacity, or the operation of said gaseous fuel inletvalve can be red tarded relative to the operation of said air inletvalve when the engineis working at less than full capacity.

2. An internal combustion engine, comprising a cylinder affording acompression end and provided with a valve controlled exhaust out-let, apiston reciprocatable with in said cylinder, an ignition space rovidedwith suitable ignition means and aving a valve controlled inlet foradmitting aseous fuel, a valve controlled air inlet -eading into saidcompression end, there being com munication between said ignition spaceand said compression end, and said valve controlled air inlet havingfixed capacity relatively great with respect to the capacity of' saidcompression end, means whereb the intake of air to said compression enand the intake of gaseous fuel to said space can preferably besimultaneous, or the intake of gaseous fuel can be retarded with respectto the intake of air, and means for obtainin an explosive mixture insaid ignition-space th when said air and aseous fuel intakes aresimultaneous and w en the gaseous fuel intate is retarded with respectto the air inta 'e.

3. An internal combustion engine, comprising a cylinder affording acompression end and provided with a valve controlled exhaust outlet, apiston reciprocatable within said cylinder, an ignition space rovidedwith suitable -i ition means and aving a. g inlet for admitting aseousfuel, a valve 'controlled air inlet eading into said com ression end,there being communication tween said ignition space and said compressionend, and said valve controlled air inlet having capacity capable offreely supplying a cylinder with air during any suction stroke of apiston in said cylinder regardless of the working condition oftheengine, means whereby the intakes of gaseous fuel and air can preferablybe simultaneous when the engine is to work at full capacity to providean explosive mixture throughout said compression end and said space, andmeans for retarding the intake of gaseous fuel with respect to theintake of air when the engine is to work at lowered capacity, in suchmanner that the gaseous fuel supplied to the ignition space will be indirect ratio to the power to be generated in the cylinder.

4. An internal combustion engine, comprising a cylinder affording acompression end and provided with a valve controlled exhaust outlet, apiston reciprocatable within said cylinder, an ignition space providedwith suitable ignition means and having a valve controlled inlet foradmitting gaseous fuel, .a valve controlled air inlet leading into saidcompression end, there being communication between said ignition spaceand said compression end, and said valve controlled air inlet havingfixed capacity, means whereby the intakes of gaseous fuel and air canbesimultaneous to provide a homogeneous explosive mixture throughout saidcompression end and said space when the engine is working at fullcapacity, and means for retarding the intake of gaseous fuel withrespect to the intake of air in di-,

rect ratio to the reduction of the power to be generated, to provide anexplosive mixture in said ignition space regardless of the character ofend.

5. An internal combustion engine, comprising a cylinder affording acompression end and provided with a valve controlled exhaust outlet, apiston reciprocatable within said cylinder, an ignition space providedwith suitable ignition means and having a valve controlled inlet foradmitting gaseous fuel, a valve controlled air inlet leading into saidcom ression end, there being communication etween said ignition spaceand said compression end, and said valve con trolled air inlet havingfixed capacity capable of freely supplying a cylinder with air duringany suction stroke of a piston in of-gaseous fuel and air to said s aceand compression end, respectively, can e simultaneous when the engineisworking at full capacity and the intake of gaseous fuel can beretarded with respect to'the intake of air. when the engine is workingat lowered capacity, the means including an arrangement for retardingthe intake 'of gaseous fuel in direct .ratio to the power to begenerated.

6. An internal combustion engine, comsaid cylinder, and means wherebythe intakes -120 prising a cylinder affording a compression end andprovided with a valve controlled exhaust outlet, a piston reciprocatablewithin said cylinder, an ignition space provided with suitable ignitionmeans and having a valve controlled inlet for admitting fuel mix ture,.a valve controlled air inlet leading into said compression end, therebeing communication between said ignition space and said compressionend; and said valve controlled air inlet having fixed capacity capableof freely supplying a cylinder with air during any suction stroke of apiston in said cylinder, and means for timing at will w1th respect tointakes of .air to said compression end the occurrence and duration ofthe intakes of fuel mixture to said ignitionspace, whereby when theengine is working ,at full capacity the occurrence of intakes of fuelmixture and air can be simultaneous, and

' when the engine is working at lowered capacity, the occurrence of theintakes of fuel mixture can be retarded with respect to the occurrenceof the intakes of air.

7. An internal combustion engine, comprising a cylinder affording acompression end and provided with a valve controlled exhaust outlet, a.piston reciprocatable within said cylinder, a separate ignition pocketpro- Q poc diametrically opposite to said cold air inlet.

vided with suitable ignition means and having a valve controlled inletfor admitting fuel mixture, a valve controlled cold air inlet leadinginto one side of said compression end and a restricted port leading fromsaid ket into said compression end at the side I pocket into thecompression-end of said cylinder at a point diametrically opposite to 8.An internal combustion engine, comprising a cylinder affording acompression end and provided with a valve controlled exhaust outlet, apiston reciproctatable within said cylinder, a separate ignition pocketpro vided with suitable ignition means and having a valve controlledinlet for admitting fuel mixture, .a valvecontrolled cold air inletleading into one side of said compression end, a restricted port leadingfrom said pocket into said compression ,end at the side diametricallyopposite to said cold-air inlet, and means for timing the occurrence andduration of the vadmissions of. fuel mixture with respect to the,intakes of cold air.

p 9. An internal combustion engine, comprising a cylinder having a valvecontrolled cold air inlet and .a valve controlled exhaust outlet, apiston reciprocatable within said cylinder, a separate ignition pocketprovided with suitable ignition means and having a valve controlledinlet for admitting fuel mixture, a restricted port leading from saidsaid cold air inlet, means for maintaining uniform and uniformly spacedintakes of cold air alternately with regularly occurring exhaust, andmeans for timin at will with respect 'to said intakes of cod air theoccurrence and duration of the intakes of fuel mixture. r i Signed atBridgeport, in the county of Fairfield, and State 'of Connecticut, this10th 70 /day of October,

ANDREW L. BIKER.

